Top 10 TV and cinema ads

1. Sainsbury’s, ‘Christmas is for sharing’

Sainsbury’s staked its claim on high-concept Christmas ads last year when it funded a 48-minute documentary, Christmas In A Day. This year, the supermarket decided to use its big TV spot to publicise its partnership with The Royal British Legion. The ad retells the story of the legendary Christmas football match between German and British forces in World War I. Sainsbury’s and Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO should be commended for a beautiful and poignant film.Agency: Abbott Mead Vickers BBDOCreative: Tim RileyDirector: Ringan LedwidgeProduction company: Rattling Stick

2. Ikea, ‘beds’

The Ikea body of work is among Mother’s strongest and "beds" is a worthy addition. The spot shows a woman falling through the air with her descent softened by a succession of different beds before she finally lands in her own. It aims to convey the message that people sleep better in their own bed. Prunella Scales provided the voiceover with a reading from William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, beginning: "Our revels now are ended."Agency: MotherCreative: MotherDirector: Juan Cabral Production company: MJZ

3. John Lewis, ‘Monty the penguin’

John Lewis has a tried-and-tested formula. In "Monty the penguin", Adam & Eve/DDB recreated the magic of "the long wait" as part of a well-thought-through multimedia campaign. The ad tells the story of a boy who realises that his toy penguin is lonely and so buys him a female penguin as a Christmas present. Other elements of the campaign include an interactive storybook and an in-store experience using technology that bring children’s toys to life. Agency: Adam & Eve/DDBCreatives: Daniel Fisher, Richard BrimDirector: Dougal Wilson Production company: Blink

4. The Sunday Times, ‘icons’

Grey London produced consistently strong work for The Times and The Sunday Times this year – its "icons" spot is the best. The Us-directed ad promotes the revamped culture section of the News UK newspaper and depicts two actors recreating six major artworks in a single take. To demonstrate the breadth of coverage in the supplement, the spot honours Michelangelo’s The Creation Of Adam, Daft Punk, Reservoir Dogs, Rodin’s The Thinker, Mad Men and Forrest Gump.Agency: Grey LondonCreatives: Jonathan Rands, Johan LeanderssonDirectors: UsProduction company: Academy

5. Guinness, ‘Sapeurs’

This stylish spot tells the story of the Society of Elegant Persons of the Congo, depicting men getting dressed to meet their friends and then enjoying themselves in a local bar. In line with the Diageo brand’s "made of more" positioning, the ad’s message is: "It’s not the cost of the suit that counts, but the worth of the man inside it."Agency: Abbott Mead Vickers BBDOCreative: Nicholas Hulley, Nadja LossgottDirector: Nicolai Fuglsig Production company: MJZ

6. Imperial War Museum, ‘flight of the stories’

This powerful animated spot for the Imperial War Museum’s World War I gallery was to encourage people to find out about the soldiers who did not make it home from the trenches. In the ad, the stories of those who died emerge from the ground in the form of animated speech marks and fly across the Channel. They make their way across the south of England through London and to the Imperial War Museum. Agency: Johnny FearlessCreatives: Pia Knight, Paul DomenetDirector: Darren DubickiProduction company: Aardman Animations

7. Beats, ‘the game before the game’

Beats stood out among the myriad brands trying to align themselves with the World Cup in Brazil with a global brand campaign depicting the rituals footballers and fans go through before a match. In the ad, Neymar calls his dad for some reassurance, Luis Suárez kisses the tattoo of his children’s names on his wrist and Cesc Fàbregas kisses a ring his girlfriend gave him.Agency: R/GA LondonCreatives: Edwin Latchford, Ciaran McCarthyDirector: Nabil Elderkin Production company: The Sword Fight

8. Three, ‘#SingItKitty’

Wieden & Kennedy was always going to be under pressure after the success of "the pony". But with a girl cycling through her neighbourhood with her cat – both miming Starship’s We Built This City – the agency produced another viral success for Three. The spot was supported by a website that enabled people to make personalised versions of the ad with their own photos.Agency: Wieden & KennedyCreatives: Chris Lapham, Aaron McGurkDirectors: Traktor Production company: Partizan

9. BBC Music, ‘God Only Knows’

To launch the new multiplatform BBC Music brand, Karmarama created an epic ad featuring a gamut of stars, including Brian Wilson, Sir Elton John and Stevie Wonder, singing the Beach Boys classic God Only Knows. The track was sold to raise money for Children in Need and proved a worthy successor to "Perfect Day".Agency: KarmaramaCreatives: Sam Walker, Joe de SouzaDirector: François RousseletProduction company: Red Bee Media

10. Canon, ‘gladiator football’

Amid declining sales and competition from smartphones, Canon launched an ambitious campaign filmed under the umbrella title "come and see". The first TV spot was Jonathan Glazer’s stylish portrayal of calcio storico, a violent early form of football that is still played in Italy. Agency: JWT LondonCreatives: Jonathan Budds, Anita Davis Director: Jonathan Glazer Production company: Academy